


What Is Seen and What Is- Aaron Sees

by TWDObsessive



Series: What Is Seen and What Is. [1]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Aaron and Eric want more romance in Alexandria, Aaron knows what's up, Aaron tries talking to Daryl, Aaron tries talking to Rick, Aaron's POV, Daryl's not a talker, Feelings, Love, M/M, POV First Person, Pining, Rick talks, Rickyl, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 19:22:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5468114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDObsessive/pseuds/TWDObsessive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron and Eric have been watching Rick and Daryl for a long time.  For weeks out on the recruit and in the many weeks after, since they came to Alexandria.  Aaron wants them to see what he sees, that they are meant to be together.  </p><p> </p><p>  <em>I learned on one of our recruiting trips how damn loyal and selfless this guy was.  Stuck in a car surrounded by walkers.  No way out.  And he offers his life.  To <em> me </em>.  Because I had Eric and he had nothing.  This was a man worth loving and a man worth being loved.  And when I came home and told Eric about this selfless act, I knew he'd insist on amping up our mission to find Daryl some happiness.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	What Is Seen and What Is- Aaron Sees

**Author's Note:**

> I had insomnia last night and wrote this in bed. Was family Christmas-ing all day and just remembered I had it! So here it is. Completely unbeta'd. Because all the people that I would normally ask to beta are working on fics that I am DYING to read. So I need them to be writing, not reading!! :-)

He was cute. Even Eric had to admit it and Eric never talks about how cute anyone is but me, even before the end of the world. We'd watch _Justified_ and I'd be drooling over Timothy Olyphant, and Eric would tick off reasons why I'm hotter. Than _Timothy-fucking-Olyphant_. So the fact that Eric looked me right in the eyes and said "You're right. He's cute. He's got a sexy little way he glares at people and gorgeous blue eyes," well, that was saying a lot.

I gotta be honest, I was a little jealous hearing that from Eric's lips. But he was right. I was right. Daryl was downright adorable. And as two gay men are wont to do, we immediately tried to determine if he batted for our team. We had two sets of binoculars and weeks of time to kill. 

Don't get me wrong. The mission came first. We observed them all, watching for personality issues, beneficial qualities, potential problems, things we didn't to bring back into our homes. Part of that recon involved watching Daryl. So we watched. Before we even knew their names, we had heated discussions on several occasions about the mysterious archer and what he was to the leader. 

Frankly, we both thought they were together right from the start. It wasn't til a few days in that we noticed there were no actual kisses or overly affectionate touches. There was just this energy and this closeness that dripped off of them like water, even from afar. The way they looked to each other. Always walked nearby. Sat nearby. The touches weren't ever sexual or indicative of a physical relationship, but they were always lingering, always gentle and whoever was the one being touched always had a way of leaning into it, encouraging it in the most subtle way.

Their first days inside our walls were tense. I think I was the one they all trusted the most. Been out there. They all got to see me in action. Knew I could handle my shit. And after weeks of observing, _I_ felt comfortable and confident with _them_. Trusted some of them more than I trusted some of our own in Alexandria. These guys were real survivors. And the way they cared about one another screamed family and loyalty in a language that Alexandrians didn't even speak.

Maggie was the one to tell me that as far as she knew, Rick and Daryl were straight. I didn't come right out with the question or anything. I danced around it in a diplomatic way. Made her think she was the one starting to consider it. And when I started ticking off observations, I left her wondering even more about what was truly in their heads. Things like the way they look for each other at every stop. The way they speak with their eyes. The comfort in their body language when they stand close and talk low to one another. 

I'm not gonna lie. I like romance. I miss it. Miss seeing it in daily life and in other people. I know I'm lucky. I have Eric. I have more than any single other Alexandrian behind these walls because we still have love and romance while everyone else we see falls apart. It's harder to hold on to something like that, something intangible, in a world that's crumbling to ashes all around us. So I'm not complaining. But I don't want us to be the only lucky ones. Glenn and Maggie have it, too. That was clear to see. But there are too many of us left to have so few lovers among us. I want to see the beauty of love elsewhere. Because just seeing death and desperation every day is exhausting. 

I tried with Daryl. Tried to bring things up. We hunted together. Went on a few recruiting attempts. I'd talk about Eric to see if he'd bite but he kept his armor up. He didn't embrace my gayness but he didn't bat an eye at it in discomfort either. And of course he never returned the chatter with anything of his relationships, either past or present. I talked about some of the women in town. Nothing specific. Just idle conversation to see if he’d respond. He didn't. He wasn't a talker. I knew that from the start.

Eric and I even had him over for dinner a few times. All we learned was that Daryl loves spaghetti, rarely uses silverware, and talks with his mouth full. Still cute as hell doing it, though. Always has an air of bashful about him even though we'd been growing closer. 

I learned on one of our recruiting trips how damn loyal and selfless this guy is. Stuck in a car surrounded by walkers. No way out. And he offers his life. To _me_. Because I had Eric and he had nothing. This was a man worth loving and a man worth being loved. And when I came home and told Eric about this selfless act, I knew he'd insist on amping up our mission to find Daryl some happiness.

And it had become clear that his happiness and his comfort and his want laid with Rick. I watched Deanna's tape. They're public record and we are encouraged to do it. In it, Rick's children were Daryl's number one priority. The first words out of his mouth. Everything he's done since I met him, was for Rick in one way or another.

And everything Rick did was guided by Daryl. Daryl centered Rick. We got to know the leader well, too, in those weeks of watching and the weeks since because you can't observe one without observing the other. They were always together or looking for one another. When they walked together it was as if they were choreographed. Their steps in synch. The swing of their arms lined up. Rick listened to Daryl. Intently. And that was something in itself because Rick loved to talk. And that's when I decided maybe I could get something out of Rick. 

I finally got some down time with him. He was walking by our house on patrol, fitting in and wearing his new uniform. Becoming part of the larger community. And he walked up to the porch to say hello. 

Well, not really. He came up, as anyone would have anticipated, checking to see if Daryl was still at my place working on the bike. He wasn't and I was searching for a way to encourage Rick to stay. To talk for a bit. Sit on the porch with me for a while. 

Didn't need to though, because my lover was on the same mission. He came out with a tray and two lemonades offering them to each of us. Rick politely took one and Eric disappeared, knowing that I'd get more one-on-one.

I motioned to the porch steps and sat. Rick looked towards his new house. The place where I just told him he could find Daryl and I sensed his hesitation about staying and his need to get eyes on Daryl. A daily confirmation of his safety. Probably hasn't seen him in hours. But he finally relented and sat.

Rick was easy to talk to. He had confidence in me. And had developed trust despite the way things started out between us. I know he'd been working with Deanna. Getting information from her on the town and its people, but I could tell Rick valued my opinion and it was him that fell into an easy game of 'tell me about your people and I'll tell you about ours'. We did a few. Just mostly what we knew of backgrounds. I asked about Tara. He asked about Spencer. Eugene next, then Tobin. And on it went.

"Denise," Rick said for his next turn, scanning the street around him, always on alert.

"Here since the beginning," I said. "Don't know that she's ever really seen a walker up close. Maybe from watching over the walls out of curiosity. Not a lot of self confidence. But she's a good person. And has a lot more worth than she thinks."

Rick chuckled at that. And I'll be damned if it wasn't even me that brought Daryl up.

"That's like Daryl. The worth thing." Rick's eyes went back to his home, back to where Daryl was.

I nodded casually. "Yeah, what's his story? I spend a lot of time with him but he's not much of a talker. Hard to read."

"He's not hard to read. He's exactly what he is. Exactly what you see. He don't need to talk for you to get to know him."

"How so?" I led, praying that Eric was leaning against the front door taking all this in too.

"He's loyal. Would die for any of us. He's sincere. Might not talk much, but what he says is what he means. He's a survivor. Not like us," Rick quickly corrected looking back to me. "He was a survivor way before the world went to shit. He pushes himself every damn day to feed us all. And still doesn't think he does enough. He can take care of walkers, I'll tell ya that." Rick paused to take a sip of lemonade. "Saved my life. Dozens of times. And I remember every single one of them."

I just gave an encouraging "Huh," at Rick's break, but I could already tell he was going to stay on topic. Rick talked about Daryl like the act of it was a comforting blanket in the cold. His tense shoulders had already started to relax. His face softened.

"Took care of my baby." Rick's demeanor changed like he was reliving some dark days behind his always-focused eyes. "Guy like him. All dirt and earth and struggle. Rough working man's hands and always cut up or black and blue. And he picked up my delicate newborn. Rocked her. Fed her. Changed her damn diapers." Rick laughed. "I couldn't even do that, Aaron. But he could. He could 'cause he always does what needs to be done. Gives what others need of him. Doesn't hesitate. Selfless."

Rick shook his head and took a sip of lemonade and I could feel him ready to change the conversation so I pounced. And I knew Eric had to be facepalming me from inside the house.

"You know it's funny. Those weeks we were watching you? We thought you and Daryl were together," I blurted out.

Rick looked at me. Not offended. And I wouldn't expect that. Someone mistaking you for gay isn't worth getting upset over when the dead were up and walking. No, he didn't seem offended but he he didn't seem defensive either. His lips didn't form a smile or a frown. He just looked at me blank, like he was preoccupied by a roll of film in his head flipping through every moment I must have witnessed.

He looked out to the street again and just simply answered. "No. He's not gay. I'm not."

"Neither was Denise," I said and shrugged. "But the world's different. Choices are different. Emotions are different. Small town. I'm sure you've heard she's kinda gotten together with your Tara.

Rick nodded and smiled. "Yeah. I've heard that. Eugene told me." He looked back to the street as Jessie was walking by with a basket of supplies from the pantry.

"What about her? What's the rest of her story? Haven't talked to her much since I... You know."

I knew. Rick killed Pete in their earlier days inside the walls. He was our doctor. And that was a loss. But it wasn't a loss for her and those kids and everyone knew it. Small town.

"Pretty, huh?" I asked but wished I hadn't. I didn't want to get off topic and I didn't want to throw Jessie in his lap when, now more than ever, I knew Daryl should be there.

Rick shrugged. "Reminds me of my wife. Does what she needs to. Good mother. Friendly to everyone. And yeah, pretty."

I nodded. That was all true. I can't deny it.

Rick pointed towards her after she walked past. "That's what I should want."

"But is it?" I asked.

"I mean she's beautiful. Strong. Would be good with my kids. She's good with her own."

"Daryl's good with your kids. You even said." I worried I was pushing too much immediately after I said it and I pictured Eric in the house shaking his head at me in disappointment. I can be impatient. He knows that about me. He knows everything about me. Just like Rick knows everything about Daryl.

He nodded at my observation. "God, Carl loves him. Idolizes him. Should idolize me," he chuckled. "But man, he looks up to Daryl like he's God himself."

"You got a certain way of looking at him, too."

Rick ran a hand through his recently trimmed hair, appearing surprised at the missing curls. "He's not gay."

Finally I played it smart and just kept my mouth shut, letting Rick control the direction of our chat. He looked back to his house again.

"You're gay. You think he's good looking?"

"Jesus, yeah. I don't care if you're straight or not. How can you not know that. Blue eyes like the ocean, broad shoulders, a smile that lights up the room. Those arms."

I looked back to Rick and he was nodding. "Yeah. I thought that too. Y'know... That for a guy he's really... like... pretty. Or whatever." Rick took the final swallow of lemonade and stood. 

Shit. I would be giving Eric shit for DAYS about not leaving us a pitcher for refills. And just as I was ready to shake my head in defeat, Rick continued on topic.

"Why'd you guys think we were together? Like how I was acting or something?"

"No, Rick. One person acting a certain way doesn't do that. Both of you."

"Like how?"

I felt like a fisherman that just got a bite after hours on the shoreline. I took my time to answer, making him realize how much he wanted what I had to say. I stood, too, and swallower the last of my lemonade. 

"When you guys look at each other, It's like there is nothing else. You stand closer to each other than either of you stand with anyone else. The way he touches you. It's gentle, it's intimate. Same with you. Anytime there's trouble you find each other from wherever you're standing. You speak without words."

Rick stuck his hands in his pockets and his eyes darted once again to his home. Not the wood and shingles but the place where Daryl was.

"We're all like that. Carol. Michonne. Glenn."

"No your not. Not like that,” I said with confidence.

He didn't respond but he didn't retreat either. "The world is shit, Rick. But there's still beauty hidden in it if you let yourself see. Having Eric, it makes everything worthwhile. Having someone...one person like that..."

"It's dangerous," Rick said.

"It's everything," I countered.

He furrowed his brows at my words like he was turning them over in his head, examining them, their meaning, their implication. The everythingness of them.

"You guys should take the good things the world is offering you. To find someone in this shitty world that you have that kind of connection with, Rick? I wouldn't waste the chance to have some happiness."

Rick nodded, his eyes flicking back up at his house. And I knew, then and there, that we were right all along. Rick and Daryl were together. They just didn't know it yet. They just needed a gentle push. 

"Go home, Rick. You keep looking. He's there. Went right back after working on the bike. Probably looking as forward to seeing you at the end of a long day as you're looking forward to seeing him."

He nodded again, eyes still towards home. "You have a good evening, Aaron.” And he looked back as he took his first step closer to a new world with Daryl. “You too, Eric," he said with a slight raise to his voice. He looked at me with a grin. "Curtains been moving in the window since I got here. Thanks for the talk."

**Author's Note:**

> First time I've ever written first person from someone that wasn't Rick or Daryl. Hope it was ok!
> 
> Making this a series to experiment with writing Rickyl from different POV's.   
> Part 1- Aaron's POV  
> Part 2- Rick's POV  
> Part 3- Carol's POV  
> Part 4- Daryl's POV  
> Part 5- Eric's POV


End file.
